Empatho Ron
by Goliath
Summary: Harry learns a new spell that helps him help his best friend.
1. Default Chapter

EMPATHO, RON by Goliath  
  
Summary: Harry learns a spell that helps him help his best friend.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the setting. J. K. Rowling does.  
  
A/N Thoughts are in italics  
  
"Ah, good afternoon, Harry. What can I do for you?" Dumbledore asked.  
  
"Well sir," Harry began. "it's probably none of my business really but Ron is one of my best friends and he's...well changed, and not for the better."  
  
"I see. Any thoughts on why?" Dumbledore asked patiently  
  
"I think I know but I'm not 100% sure and really feel I should be before I act."  
  
"A wise decision." Dumbledore thought for a moment. "I believe that there is a spell that can help you determine your course of action, Harry." Harry brightened considerably at this  
  
"It's called the 'empathos charm' or 'curse' depending on who you ask." Dumbledore continued.  
  
"How does it work sir?" Harry asked eagerly.  
  
"It's quite simple really. All you need to do is point your wand at whoever you want to know somone's feelings and then you say this." he got a small scrap of parchment out from his desk and scribbled down two words on it.  
  
"Empatho, Ron" Harry muttered.  
  
"Yes Empatho, followed by the name of a person will allow the target to experience that person's feelings as if they were their own. And this," he said handing him another paper, "will end it."  
  
"Apatho, Ron" Harry read on the second piece of paper. Harry grinned broadly, "Thank you sir."  
  
Dumbledore held his hand up in warning. "Be careful with this spell Harry. If Ronald's emotions are particularly intense they could swallow the target whole. Be especially careful if you cast it on yourself."  
  
"Yes sir." Harry said seriously. Harry walked back to the Gryffindor common room to thankfully find it empty. Taking a seat in one of the comfortable chairs by the fire, he took his wand out from his robe and pointed the "business end" as Ron had put it directly at himself.  
  
"Empatho, Ron." he said in a clear voice and waited. For a second nothing seemed to happen, then he felt almost dazed. A rush of emotions ran through him. Pain and despair flooded his very being. It was almost like the "Crucio" curse except it was not physical agony but emotional as if his heart was breaking. Underneath that Harry detected something else.  
  
Love.  
  
Not just love but an overwhelming need for something, someone.  
  
"Hermione." Harry whispered tears forming in his eyes.  
  
Harry finally understood. The reason that Ron had been so depressed was because Hermione was dating Viktor Krum. Harry knew that Ron had been jealous, he didn't need a spell for that, but he couldn't possibly had known how deep those feeling were. He felt sobs wracking his body. Then, remembering Dumbledore's warning he turned his wand toward himself again.  
  
"Apatho, Ron." he said in a shaking voice.  
  
As suddenly as the emotions had hit him they faded. Harry was still gasping for breath when he heard the portrait swing open. Hermione walked through, her soft brown curls swaying slightly behind her. When she saw Harry, her cinammon eyes went wide with concern.  
  
"Harry are you all right?" she asked dropping her book bag and running to his side. He was still gasping for air and looked as though he had been crying very badly.  
  
"What happened?" she asked brushing his long dark bangs from his forehead.  
  
"I was trying out a new spell." he told her truthfully. "Dumbledore taught me, said it could be pretty intense."  
  
"I'd say that was an understatement." she replied. Something made her frown.  
  
"Harry what spell was it?" Harry was finally back under control.  
  
"It's called the Empathos Charm." he said and proceeded to explain how it worked as well as the counter for it.  
  
Always eager to learn something new she asked if she could try it.  
  
"Ok, but be careful. You saw what it could do." she nodded and took out her wand pointing it at herself. "Empatho Harry." she said. After just a second she could feel Harry's emotions;. his bravery, his apprehension, his deep brotherly affection for her, which made her smile and, his concern for...  
  
Ron  
  
"Apatho Harry." she said and felt Harry emotions leave her. "Harry, why are you so concerned about Ron?"  
  
Harry resisted the urge to look up in frustration.  
  
You've got to be kidding me.  
  
A/N a bit short I know but wasn't sure how to do this one. It could be two chapters or three. BTW I'm having writer's block on my other fic "A Secret In Time." any suggestions and how to proceed would be great. I'm sure you've all probably figured out the secret by now but I hate leaving unfinished work. As always R/R is greatly appreciated. 


	2. Chapter 2

EMPATHO, RON by Goliath  
  
Summary: Harry learns a spell that helps him help his best friend.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the setting. J. K. Rowling does.  
  
A/N Thoughts are in italics  
  
Harry sat there looking up into the deep brown eyes of one of his best friends.  
  
What on earth do I tell her? Do I tell her I'm concerned because one of my best friends has gone psycho over the other?  
  
In the time that it took Harry's brain to cycle his thoughts, Hermione was becoming impatient and took his silence as a reluctance to talk.  
  
"Come on, Harry, he's my friend too you know." she protested, "Just because we fight doesn't mean I don't care about him." Harry continued to ponder his own thoughts in silence. Hermione gave a great sigh.  
  
"Ok then, if you won't tell me I'll just have to find out for myself." she said reaching again for her wand.  
  
"NO!" Harry said sharply startling her and almost making her drop her wand.  
  
Harry took a deep breath. "Only the person who casts the spell can stop it."  
  
"But I need to know what's going on." Hermione protested. Harry sighed again and said the three words he absolutely didn't want to utter.  
  
"I'll do it."  
  
Hermione sat down in a chair in front of him while Harry reached for his own wand.  
  
"Empatho, Ron" he said quietly pointing his wand at Hermione. A white glow came out and surrounded Hermione then seem to vanish inside her. At first she didn't feel anything. She realized that she REALLY didn't feel anything. She was totally devoid of any emotion whatsoever.  
  
Just as that realization was hitting her brain she was nearly doubled over by the flood that hit her. Her heart felt as if it were being torn to shreds until the only things left were pain, sorrow and...love. Not just an unfocused love she realized it was singularly fixed on...her. Tears rolled down her cheeks seeming crystalline on her skin. The final thought was worthlessness and a desire to end it all.  
  
"NO!" she wailed burying her face in her hands. Harry, startled, immediately leveled his wand at her.  
  
"Apatho, Ron." he cried then he ran to Hermione side. After a moment her sobs decreased then with a gasp she looked up at him with wide terror- stricken eyes.  
  
"Where is he?" she gasped.  
  
"I don't..." Harry began.  
  
"Get the map, now!" she interrupted. Without question or hesistation, Harry ran up to the boy's dorm and retrieved the Marauder's Map.  
  
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good." he said running down the stairs to Hermione. Both of them scanned the paper frantically.  
  
"He's heading up to the Astronomy Tower." Harry said pointing to the spot on the map were the name "Ron Weasley" glowed. Before Harry could form another thought Hermione raced through the portrait and was running with all her might toward the Astronomy Tower.  
  
"I will make it in time, I will make it in time." she chanted under her breath as she ran not caring about anyone seeing her or for that matter running into anyone. If she did it would not have even broken her stride. Finally she came to the door that led to the staircase of the tower. She threw the door open and took the stairs two at a time until she reached the door at the top. She threw that door open and her heart froze at what she saw.  
  
A tall boy with bright red her faced away from her. His left leg was on the ground while his right one stood atop one of the ramparts. Just as he shifted his weight to the right leg, Hermione ran up to him and flung her arms around his midsection.  
  
"What the.." she heard's Ron's voice say as he stumbled back down onto the tower floor..  
  
"Ron, please don't do this." Hermione cried frantically. She buried her face in the back of his robes and held on to him for dear life.  
  
"Hermione?" Ron whispered peering over his shoulder.  
  
"If you go back to the common room, you're taking me with you. If you jump off this tower you're still taking me with you."  
  
Ron turned around in her arms and looked down into her beautiful brown eyes.  
  
"Why?" he asked simply.  
  
"Because I love you!" she shouted not caring who heard.  
  
"What about Viktor?" Ron asked.  
  
"He doesn't mean anything compared to you. You are one of the most important people in the world to me. I'd never live without you." she finally broke down into tears burying her head in Ron's shoulder. Ron was stunned. He wrapped his arms tight around her resting his cheek on top of her head.  
  
"I'm sorry 'Mione." he whispered "I'm really dense sometimes."  
  
"Promise me you'll never do this again!" Hermione demanded.  
  
"I promise 'Mione. I love you too."  
  
Hermione looked up into Ron's warm blue eyes. Ron began to brush away her tears with his thumb. Not sure how it happened, their lips met in a soft kiss. When they pulled apart they both were smiling and both had tears in their eyes.  
  
"I promise I'll never leave you." Ron said.  
  
"And I promise I'll never leave you." Hermione replied.  
  
"YES!" they heard a loud whisper coming from behind the tower door. They gave each other a knowing look and opened the door to find a very satisfied looking Harry.  
  
"What are you on about?" Ron asked him with a grin. Without a single word, Harry stepped forward and put his arms around his friends' shoulders.  
  
"Um, well, I don't have to play ref anymore." Harry said with a broad grin.  
  
"That's right." Hermione said "Now we can gang up on you." she teased him with an equally broad grin but quickly giving him a sisterly peck on the cheek.  
  
"Maybe this wasn't such a good thing after all." he said earning a swat from both his friends.  
  
"Just kidding."  
  
THE END  
  
A/N I know this probably blows big ones but they can't all be gems. I just type what the muse tells me to. As always R/R appreciated. 


End file.
